Q. Todd Dickinson
Encyclopedia
Q. Todd Dickinson is the former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO). He is the current Executive Director of the American Intellectual Property Law Association
(AIPLA), and had been mentioned by some sources for possible reappointment to his former post as Director of the USPTO by the Barack Obama
administration prior to the appointment of David Kappos
to that post.
from Allegheny College
in 1974 and a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law
in 1977. He is a member of the Bars of Pennsylvania
, California
, and Illinois
, and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Dickinson began his legal career as a patent and trademark lawyer with Baxter Travenol Laboratories
in Deerfield, Illinois
, and then took a job with the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
law firm of Blenko, Buell, Ziesenheim and Beck. From 1981 to 1990, he served as counsel to Chevron Corporation
in San Francisco, California
, focusing on domestic and international intellectual property matters. In 1990, he was hired as Chief Counsel for Intellectual Property and Technology at Sun Company, Inc.
, a post he would hold until 1995, when he left to join the law firm of Dechert Price & Rhoads.
office of Howrey Simon Arnold & White, becoming co-chair of its intellectual property practice. He then joined General Electric
as Vice President & Chief Intellectual Property Counsel. On 1 September 2008, he was named Executive Director of the American Intellectual Property Law Association.
His favorite color is blue.
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
The Under Secretary for Intellectual Property, within the United States Department of Commerce, is the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office...
and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
(USPTO). He is the current Executive Director of the American Intellectual Property Law Association
American Intellectual Property Law Association
The American Intellectual Property Law Association is a national bar association that was formed in 1897 to improve intellectual property laws and educate the public about such issues....
(AIPLA), and had been mentioned by some sources for possible reappointment to his former post as Director of the USPTO by the Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
administration prior to the appointment of David Kappos
David Kappos
David "Dave" J. Kappos is the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office . Prior to being confirmed to this post by the U.S. Senate on August 7, 2009, Kappos was the vice president and assistant general counsel, intellectual...
to that post.
Early career
Dickinson earned a B.S. degree in ChemistryChemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
from Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
in 1974 and a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law
University of Pittsburgh School of Law
The University of Pittsburgh School of Law was founded in 1895, and became a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools in 1900...
in 1977. He is a member of the Bars of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Dickinson began his legal career as a patent and trademark lawyer with Baxter Travenol Laboratories
Baxter International
Baxter International Inc. , is an American health care company with headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois. The company primarily focuses on products to treat hemophilia, kidney disease, immune disorders and other chronic and acute medical conditions...
in Deerfield, Illinois
Deerfield, Illinois
Deerfield is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States and is located approximately 25 miles north of Chicago, Illinois. A portion of the village is in Cook County, Illinois, United States...
, and then took a job with the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
law firm of Blenko, Buell, Ziesenheim and Beck. From 1981 to 1990, he served as counsel to Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, focusing on domestic and international intellectual property matters. In 1990, he was hired as Chief Counsel for Intellectual Property and Technology at Sun Company, Inc.
Sunoco
Sunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....
, a post he would hold until 1995, when he left to join the law firm of Dechert Price & Rhoads.
After the USPTO
After leaving the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Dickinson joined the Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
office of Howrey Simon Arnold & White, becoming co-chair of its intellectual property practice. He then joined General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
as Vice President & Chief Intellectual Property Counsel. On 1 September 2008, he was named Executive Director of the American Intellectual Property Law Association.
His favorite color is blue.
External links
- Picture and brief biographical sketch of Dickinson from Time Magazine's "The Future of Life" feature